Breathing mask suspension



1963 I H. A. s. HAMLIN I I 3,416,521

BREATHING MASK SUSPENS ION Filed Sept 27, 1965 INVENTOR HUMPHREY ALBERTSAMUEL HAMLIN ATTORNEYS United States Patent Office 3,416,521 PatentedDec. 17, 1968 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An oro-nasal mask suspensionassembly which can be quickly donned using only a single hand, theassembly including a shell supporting the mask and also supportingfolding side-arms which bear a flexible head-engaging loop between them.The side-arms are telescopic and resiliently urged to their shortestlength, and also biased from the folded condition to a user wearingposition that extends on each side of a users face during use.

This invention relates to oro nasal mask assemblies, and moreparticularly, although not exclusively, to quickdonning oxygen masksused by aircrew.

Known quick-donning masks are cumbersome and not readily stowable, havethe disadvantage of requiring adjustment to fit the wearer, and are notprovided with self-erecting side arms.

It is an object of this invention to provide a lightweight, collapsibleand self-erecting mask assembly capable of being compactly stowed,readily accessible and quickly donned.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a mask assembly thatrequires substantially no adjustment to fit thewearer.

The invention consists in an oro-nasal mask assembly havingself-erecting arms for securing the mask to the head of the wearer.

The invention also consists in an oro-nasal mask assembly including aflexible mask housed in a substantially rigid shell, extensions of theshell supporting self-erecting side arms.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become. apparentfrom the following description of a preferred embodiment, which is byway of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

FIGURE 1 shows an oblique view of the assembly.

FIGURE 2 shows a cross-section of a side arm and its meanS. f attachmentto the shell.

A glass fibre shell 1 includes an oro-nasal portion 2 which supports aflexible mask 3 secured in a leakproof manner at inlet 4. Shell 1develops as a laterally extending hollow web 5 which provides housingsfor an airmix valve 6, expiratory valve 7 and oxygen supply demandregulator 8 (not shown) and duct means communicating with the interiorof the mask 3 by way of inlet 4.

Web 5 carries a pair of extensible self-erecting side members 9pivotally attached by studs 10. The studs 10 project from first part 11of the side members 9, and are inserted in blind holes 12 and retainedby pins or a staple 13, engaging a groove 14 of stud 10. The arms 9 areeach flexibly jointed by means of a pair of tension springs 15. Half ofeach spring is inserted in a blind hole in the first part 11 and theremainder inserted in a second part 16 of the side member 9. The ends ofthe springs are securely anchored in the first and second parts 11 and16 respectively, the side members 9 'being flexibly constrained toremain erected. Each side member 9 is of rectangular, single stagetelescopic construction, having a slider-arm 17 urged to remainretracted when in the free state, by means of a clock-type spring 18.The spring 18 is anchored in a housing 19 on the inner face of the sidemember 9 adjacent the second part 16. End 20 of the slider arms 17 isbent around on its inner face and provides a pivotal attachment 21,comprising a tubular clip and integral stud 22 and nut 23. Attachment 21provides support at each side of the wearers head for a flexible loop 24which may also be extensible for the comfort of the wearer in thatbecause of the elasticity thereof the loop 24 may be stretched to fitany head size.

In operation of the invention, the mask assembly is collapsed by foldingthe side members 9 across the back of the mask 3, using the tensionsprings 15 as hinges. This also collapses flexible loop 24 and producesa compact arrangement for stowage in a position, say, over the wearershead. To don the mask assembly, the user grasps the rigid shell 1 andpulls the assembly from the stowage. Side members 9 erect themselvesunder the influence of tension springs 15, and flexible loop 24 returnsto its free state. The user carries the shell portion forward over thehead whilst allowing flexible loop 24 to train and engage the back ofthe head; continuing forward movement of the shell portion causes sliderarms 17 to extend against the influence of the clock-type springs 18until the shell portion is in a position to be drawn down in front ofthe users face, and fitted snugly over the nose and mouth, under thetension of the clocktype springs 18.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerousmodifications and variations of the embodiment herein described andillustrated can be etfected without departing from the scope of theinvention. For example, the side member pivotal attachment and the sidearms retraction means could be integrated so that the stud provides theaxle for a spring-loaded winch; simple selferecting means could comprisea hinge on the inner face of the side member with a simple elastic strapin tension on the outer face; further simplification can include anon-extensible side member supporting an elastic headengaging loop.

I claim as my invention:

1. An oro-nasal mask assembly comprising a respiratory mask supportedwithin a mask housing, a pair of self-erecting arms extending outwardlyfrom said housing for securing said mask to the head of a wearer, saidarms being foldable to a position where said arms lie closely adjacentsaid mask housing, means for automatically erecting said arms to thenormal wearing positions thereof in the absence of restraint on saidarms and means associated with said arms for maintaining said assemblyin engagement with the head of a wearer.

2. An oro-nasal mask assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said maskhousing comprises a substantially rigid shell having a cavity thereinand said arms are foldable to lie across said shell cavity.

3. An oro-nasal mask assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said armsare extensible.

4. An oro-nasal mask assembly as claimed in claim 1 further comprising aflexible loop for engaging with the head of a wearer, said flexible loopbeing carried by said self-erecting arms.

5. An oro-nasal mask assembly as claimed in claim 4 wherein saidflexible head loop is formed of an elastic material.

6. An oro-nasal mask assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein saidself-erecting arms each include an extensible portion, said assemblyfurther comprising means for biasing said extensible arm portions to aretracted position.

7. An oro-nasal mask assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said housingincludes extensions for supporting said self-erecting arms, saidextensions providing housing means and ducts for valves communicatingWith the interior of the mask.

8. An oro-nasal mask assembly comprising a flexible respiratory mask, asubstantially rigid shell having a cavity therein housing said mask, apair of self-erecting arms supported by said shell, said arms beingfoldable to a position Where said arms lie across said shell cavity,means for automatically erecting said arms to the normal wearingpositions thereof adjacent the sides of the face of the wearer in theabsence of restraint on said arms, a flexible head loop carried by saidarms, and means for enabling axial extension of said arms and forbiasing said arms to the retracted position thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Canada. GreatBritain.

1/ 1962 Italy.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

K. L. HOWELL, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

